Attachment for banjos and the like



A. D. GROVER.

ATTACHMENT FOR BANJOS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. 1911. RENEWED JULY 5.1919.

1,332,552. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTEIR- A. D. GROVER.

ATTACHMENT FOR BANJOS AND THE .LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1917.

RENEWED JULY 5,1919.

Patented Mar.2,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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IN VENTEIR :filber'z' l7. Grader,

may.

ALBERT D. GROVER, OF YORK, N. Y.

ATTACHMENT FOR BANJ'OS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 19.20.

Application filed January 31, 1917, Serial No. 145,572. Renewed July 5, 1919. Serial No. 308,835.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT D. GRovER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Banjos and the.

conditions, banj'o players would heretofore tighten the head by turning down the bracket screws. However, it was found that this pulling-down process soon ruined the head of the banjo. If the bracket screws were not loosened in time, the head would on the neXt dry day contract and often break.

By the use of my new device, which is readily attachable to any make or style of banjo, the above disadvantages are overcome. The slackness in the head is taken up to a greater or less degree, as required, in such a way that the tone volume is increased.

Broadly speaking, my invention com-' prises a yieldable resilient member adapted to be connected with a fixed part of the banjo and bearing against the inner side of the head to exert an outward pressure thereon suificient to take up the slackness in the head. The point or place of contact between the pressure member and the head lies substantially only in that portion or area of the head which is between the neck and the string-supporting bridge of the instrument. This is an important feature of my invention. for if that pressure contact is between the bridge and the tail-piece, as in'the case of a ring, the result is a dampened or muted tone, instead of the sharp, increased tone caused by my invention.

In its preferred form, my new attachment comprises a spring bar connected midway of its ends with the dowel or stick of the banjo and provided at its free ends with contact or connecting pieces which bear against theinner side of the head. This contact between the head and the stick is adjustable so that the required amount of outward pressure on the head may be regulated, depending upon the slackness of the head. This particular form of attachment may be affiXGCl to the banjo or removed therefrom in a few seconds, and no mutilation of any part of the banjo is necessary, as will hereinafter more fullyappear.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the body of a banjo in inverted position, showing the attachment in place.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment, with a portion of the banjo stick.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4- l of Fig. 2. p

Fig. 5 is an inyerted perspective view of the plate bv means of which the spring bar of the preferred form of my attachment is connected with the stick of the banjo.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a banjo provided with my new attachment, the latter being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 7 is aplan view of one end of a modified form of spring bar.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a portion of a second modified form of spring bar. in which the bearin portion is formed integral with the bar itself; and

Fig 11 shows in cross-section an inverted view of a modified form of spring bar attached to the rim of the banjo.

Over the rim 1 of the banjo, or like instrument, is stretched the head 2 which is held in place by adjustable bracket screws 2 Through the center of the drum runs the dowel or stick 3 which is rigidly connected with the ne k 8 On the head is the stringsupporting bridge 3*, which is arranged near the tail piece 3".

The foregoing is the usual construction of instruments of this class and will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

My preferred form of attachment, as shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings, comprises a spring bar 4t, made preferably of wood such as maple. This bar is provided at the middle with a pair of metal plates P secured upon the opposite sides of the bar by means of rivets 4 or the like. At the ends of the spring bar 4 are connecting pieces 5 of any suitable construction. The particular form of connecting piece shown on Sheet 1 is one which I have found satisfactory in my own use. The particular form of connecting or contact piece is immaterial, so long as it establishes a firm and stable connection between the head and the bar 4, and provided further that the contact piece is not a ring or like member which extends across the space between the bridge and the tail piece. The use of such rings is old and the result is to dampen or mute the tone of the instrument, whereas my invention increases the tone volume.

The bar 4 is connected with the stick 3 by means of a plate 6 which is adapted to bear against the inner side of the stick 3 and thereby place the bar 4 under stress, so that the connecting pieces 5 exert an outward pressure on the head 2. The plate 6 is provided with adjustable screws 7 which bear against the bar 4 and may be adjusted to regulate the degree of pressure required to take up the necessary slack in the head 2.

The plate 6 is also provided with pointed screws 8 and steady pins 9. As seen from Fig. 5, the pins 9 are arranged approximately in alinement with the adjustable pressure screws 7, while the pointed screws 8 are arranged approximately at right angles to the screws 7 and pins 9.

By means of the pointed screws 8, the spring bar 4 can be readily connected with the inner side of the stick 3. The points of the screws 8 sink into the wood of the stick 3 and thereby prevent the plate 6 from turn- 1n The steady pins 9 extend through correspondingly arranged openings 10 in the bar 4, and thereby hold the bar against a turning movement without interfering with its bending movement in exerting pressure against the head. As seen from Fig. 2, the openings 10 are preferably arranged in the median line of the bar 4, this median line being approximately the same as the section line 3-3 of that figure. In further defining the location and arrangement of the open ings 10, I may say that the axes of these openings extend approximately at right angles to the plane of the bar 4 itself. Thus, in Fig. 8, the pins 9 extend in the direction of the axes of the openings 10.

In order to steady the connection between the bar 4 and the connecting pieces 5, the bar is provided with a pair of transverse grooves or slots 11, one near each end. To make the bar 4 reversible with respect to the supporting plate 6, I provide a second pair of grooves or slots 12 on the other side of the bar, so that the connecting or contact pieces may be properly positioned in either position of the bar 4. The grooves or slots 11 and 12 extend in a direction approximately at right angles to the length of the bar 4. In other words, the planes of said slots are approximately at right angles to the plane of the bar itself.

The operation of the attachment will be clearly understood from the foregoing description. By means of this attachment, a connection is established between the head 2 and a fixed part of the banjo, for exerting an outward pressure on the head to take up the slackness and increase the tone volume of the instrument. By adjusting the screws 7, or the screws 8, or both, the amount of pressure between the stick 3 and the head 23 may be regulated. In some cases but little slackness in the head 2 need be taken up, while in other cases the slackness might be much more and the same pressure would be obtained by simply adjusting the screws 7 and 8.

Another advantage of the adjustable screws 7 and 8 is that by means of them the distance between the bar 4 and the inner side of the stick 3 may be regulated to suit diiferent styles or makes of banjos, in which the distance between the stick and the head varies.

It will be seen that my new attachment is readily attachable to the banjo and as readily removable therefrom, without injuring or mutilating any part of the banjo. The precise point or points of application of the pressure on the head are not material, provided that the pressure is applied substantially only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge, for reasons already stated. The main advan tage of my attachment is that it automatically maintains the head taut at all times. For instance, should atmospheric conditions so vary as to cause the head to expand or contract, the spring bar 4, or whatever spring mechanism may be used in any particular embodiment of my invention, will automatically adjust itself to maintain the tautness of the head. The player is thus assured that his instrument will always be in good playing condition, so far as the condition of the head is concerned. I have found in actual practice that the best results are obtained by arranging the bar 4 approximately across the center of the head, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, although I do not consider this precise arrangement as absolutely necessary.

I have further found by actual trial that the most satisfactory results are obtained with a spring bar made of maple and having approximately the following dimensions: Length, seven and one-half inches; width in center, three-fourths of an inch; width at ends, seven-sixteenth of an inch; and thickness, one-eighth of an inch. I found that an arm of five thirty-seconds of of considerable advantage.

an inch thick was too stiff or .rigid and would not givethe proper amount ofwibration, while an arm three thirty-seconds of an inchthick wasifoundato bevtoo weak to offer the required degree of, resistance. ljI give these-figures merely.by way of illustration, and notin anysenseas alimitation or restriction. of; m invention. It is better to have the bar a. littletoo stifi' than not stiff enough. ;It is .ohvious that different styles .and sizes of, banj os will, require ibars of different dimensions.

In Figs. 7, 8. and9. IrhaYB shownanother Way of attaching the connecting pieces to the ends of the :bar 4. In this instance, each end of the bar is provided with a slot 13 into which fits the reducedaportion 14 of a connecting piece 5 Althoughthe slot 13 extends vin the direction ofrthe length. of the bar ,4,ithe planeofrthat-,slot,likeithe planes ofrtheslots 11 and "12,.isapproXimately at right angles to the plane ofi'thebar 4.

Instead of having a separate connecting piece at each end of the bar, the bar itself may be so shaped that it. curves down at the ends to provide the desired. contact with :the head 2, as indicatediat 15 in Fig. 10.

In Fig. 11, I-have shown aspring bar 4 attached to :the riml of the banjoibymeans of ascrew '16. The free end of the bar 4 is providedwith an adjustable .screw 17 having at its enda contact piece 18-whichhears against thehead 2. :Byadjusting thescrew 17 the pressure on the head may be regulated to the desired degree.

The form of bar shown in Fig. 11 pro duces practically the same effect as the pre ferred form previouslydescribed. The first form isin my opinion preferable because it is more readily attached to the banjo, as well as removed therefrom.

In thelbroader aspect of my invention, it is not essential that the contact member, such as the connecting or contact piece 5,

be at the end ofa spring bar like that indicated at 4 or 4, but it might be placed directly under. or near the stick 3, provided that the connection between the connecting piece and the stick 3 has the proper degree of resiliency. If this connection is absolutely rigid, or non-yielding, the characteristic sharp tone of the banjo will not be produced.

The reversibility of the vibrator arm 4 is Not only does this make it impossible to connect the bar 4 improperly with the support 6, but it increases the life of the bar. After the bar has been used fora certain length of time in the same position, it becomes set-that is to say, bent outwardly at the ends. When this occurs, the bar loses some of its power of resistance. Now. by simply reversing the bar face-wise with respect to the plate 6, its power of resistance is increased and it may be continued ,in use until it becomes set again, whereuponitinay. again. bereversed. By. a face-wi-sereversal of the bar4 with respectrto the head 2, I mean such a reversal of position that what in Eigs. l and3 is shown asithe upper face willbecome the lower face. In other words, againreferring to Fig. 3, if the bar 4 were reversedfacewise with respect to the head 2, the. connectingpieces 5 wouldat-their outer ends enter the slots or grooves 12.

In the broad aspect of my invention, it will be understoodithat the slots on grooves 11, 12 and 13 are not necessary, especially where the contact pieces have a broad stable base. Thus, for instance, the contact pieces: 5 will be held firmly pressed against the head 2 by the bar 4 without the use of the slots 11 and 12.

While I have herein described and illustrated certain specific constructions, I would have it understood that these specificembodiments have been set forthv merely by way of illustration, andithat-the broad idea of my invention may be mechanically carried out in other ways than those set forth.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is: i

1. In combination with a banjo or the like, a yieldable resilientmember connected with a fixedpart of the instrument, andcontact means between said memberand the head bearing against the inner side of-the head to eXert an outward pressureth ereon under the. influence of said spring member and thereby maintainthe head taut at all times, the place of contact between said means and the head being away from the bridgeand only in that portion ofthe head which lies between the neck and the' bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased.

2. In combination with a banjo or the like, a yieldable resilient'bar connected with a fixed part ofthe instrument, and contact means at the free end of said bar bearing against the inner side of the head to exert an outward pressure thereon under the influence of-said bar and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, the place of contact between said means and the head being away from the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge, whereby theftone volume of the instrument is increased.

3. In combination with "a. banjo or the like, a yieldable resilient bar connected with a fixed part of the instrument, anda readily detachable contact piece at the free end of said bar bearing against the inner side of the head to exert an outward pressure thereon under the influence of said bar and thereby maintain the head taut at all times. the place of contact bet-Ween said contact piece and the head being away fron'l the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge,

whercby the tone volume of the instrument is increased.

4. In combination with a banjo or the like, a yieldable resilient bar connected at or near its center with the stick oi the banjo and extending approxiniiately at right angles to the stick, and contact means at the free ends of said bar bearing against the inner side of the head to exert an outward pressure thereon under the influence of said bar and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, the places 01 contact between said means and the head being away from the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased.

5. In combination with a banjo or the like, a yieldable resilient bar connected at or near its center with the stick of the banjo and extending approximately at right angles to the stick, and a readily detachable contact piece at each free end of said bar bearing against the inner side of the head to exert an outward pressure thereon under the influence of said bar and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, the places of contact between said contact pieces and the head being away from the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and' the bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased.

6. In combination with a banjo and the like, a yieldable resilient member connected. with a fixed part of the instrument, contact means between said member and the head bearingagainst the inner side of the head to exert an outward pressure thereon under the influence of said yicldable resilient member and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, the place of contact between said means and the head being away from thebridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is'increased, and readily adjustable means for regulating the pressure of said member on the head.

7. In combination with a banjo or the like, a support detachably connected with the stick between the bridge and the neck of the instrument, a yieldable resilient bar detachably connected at or near its center with said support and extending approximately at right angles to the stick, and contact means between the ends of said bar and the head for causing said bar to exert an outward pressure on the head and there by maintain the head taut at all times, the places of contact between said means and the head being away from the bridge and only in that portion of head which. lies between the neck and the bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased.

8. In combination with a banjo or the like, a support detachably connected with the stick between the bridge and the neck of the instrument, a yieldable resilient bar detachably connected at or near its center with said support and extending approximately at right angles to the stick, contact means between the ends of said bar and the head for causing said bar to exert an outward pressure on the head and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, the places of contact between said means and the head being away from the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased, and means for bodily adjusting said bar relatively to the head to regulate the pressure thereon. I

9. In combination with a banjo or the like, a plate non-rotatably connected with the stick at a point between the neck and the bridge, a yieldable resilient bar non-rotatably connected at or near its center. with said plate member and extending approximately at right angles to the stick, means at the free ends of said bar bearing against the head to exert an outward pressure thereon and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, the places of contact between said means and the head being away from the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased, and means carried by said plate for bodily adjusting said bar toward and away from the head to regulate the pressure thereon.

10. In combination with a banjo or the like, a spring bar detachably connected at or near its center with the stick of the banjo and extending approximately at right angles thereto at a point between the neck and the bridge, and a contact piece detachably connected with each end of said bar to bear against the head and thereby exert an outward pressure thereon, said bar being reversible face-wise with respect to the head and provided at its free ends with means whereby said contact pieces may be connected with said bar in either of its positions.

11. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for banjos or the like, comprising a supporting plate provided on one side with means adapted to extend into firm engagement with the banjo stick, a pair of steady pins extending from the opposite side of said plate, a bar having openings or recesses approximately midway of its ends to receive said pins, and a pair of contact pieces adapted to be detachably connected with the free of said bar,

12. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for banjos or the like, comprising a supporting plate having adjustable screws arranged in a line and adapted to make firm contact with the inner side of the banjo stick, a pair of pins extendingfrom said plate in a direction opposite to said screws and arranged in a line approximately at right angles to the line of said screws, and a bar having openings or recesses at its center for receiving said pins.

13. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for banjos or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a set of adjustable screws arranged in a line and adapted to make firm contact with the inner side of the banjo stick, a pair of pins extending from said plate in a direction opposite to said screws and arranged in a line approximately at right angles to the line of said screws, a bar having openings or recesses at its center for receiving said pins, and a second set of adjustable screws extending from said plate in a direction to bear against said bar when said plate and bar are assembled.

14:. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for banjos or the like, comprising a supporting plate having projections arranged in a line on one side of said plate and adapted to make firm contact with the banjo stick, pins extending from the other side of said plate and arranged in a line approximately at right angles to the line of said projections, and a bar having openings or recesses to receive said pins.

15. As an attachment for banjos or the like, a new article of manufacture consisting of a flat spring bar provided with a pair of openings approximately midway of its length and with a slot at each end, said openings being arranged approximately in the median line of the bar, the axes of said openings and the planes of said slots being approximately at right angles to the plane of the bar itself, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

16. As an attachment for banjos or the like, a new article of manufacture consisting of a flat non-metallic spring bar provided at the middle with a pair of metal plates secured upon the opposite sides of the bar, said plates and said bar being provided with alined openings arranged approximately in the median line of the bar and extending through the thickness of the bar, each end of said bar being provided with a slot or groove arranged in a plane approximately at right angles to the plane of the bar.

17. As an attachment for banjos or the like, a new article of manufacture comprisinga plate having a pair of adjustable screws arranged in a line and extending at their tip ends from one face of said plate, a pair of pins extending from the opposite face of said plate and arranged in a. line approximately at right an les to said screws, and a second pair of ad ustable screws extending from said plate at their tip ends in the same direction as said pins and arranged approximately in the line of said pins, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

18. In combination with a banjo or the like, a contact member bearing against the inner side of the head at a place away from the bridge and only in that portion of the head which lies between the neck and the bridge of the instrument, and spring mechanism arranged between said member and a fixed part of the instrument for causing said member to exert an outward pressure on the head and thereby maintain the head taut at all times, whereby the tone volume of the instrument is increased.

19. As an attachment for banjos and the like, a new article of manufacture consisting of a resilient bar provided with a pair of openings approximately midway of its length, such openings being arranged approximately in the median line of the bar and the axes of said openings being approximately at right angles to the plane of the bar itself, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

20. In combination with a banjo or the like, a spring bar detachably connected at or near its center with the stick of the banjo and extending approximately at right angles thereto at a point between the neck and the bridge, and a contact piece detachably connected with each end of said bar to bear against the head and thereby exert an outward pressure thereon, said bar being reversible face-wise with respect to the head and adapted to hold said contact pieces firmly against the head in either of its positlons.

21. As an attachment for banjos or the like, a new article of manufacture consisting of a flat non-metallic spring bar provided at the middle with a pair of metal plates secured upon the opposite sides of the bar, said plates and said bar being provided with alined openings arranged approximately in the median line of the bar and extending through the thickness of the bar.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30th day of January, 1917.

ALBERT D. GROVER. 

